Students from the North-West University again showed why superlatives follow its chartered accounting programme like a shadow when the latest South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA) ITC results were released on Friday 27 March.

Along with the release of the Namibian ICAN results, students from the NWU scored exceptionally well in what is the first broad exams that these prospective chartered accountant students will have written.     

In all, 80% of NWU's SAICA first-time candidates and 89% of NWU's ICAN first-time candidates passed the January 2020 ITC exam and placed the NWU in the 4th position from the countrywide 16 universities that sit for the exams.  

"Even though our pass rate decreased from last year, we significantly exceed the national average pass rate of 68%, which is also down substantially from last year as the exam was really challenging. We outperformed many high ranking universities," said Prof Nico van der Merwe who heads the NWU's chartered accounting programme. 

"A total of 106 candidates of NWU passed the SAICA and ICAN exams. We are therefore continuing our recent trend of triple digit numbers," he continued. 

The NWU delivered one SAICA Top 10 candidate and three ICAN Top 5 candidates out of almost 3 000 candidates that wrote the exam.

From a South African perspective Daniela Cronje achieved the overall fifth position in the SAICA Top 10 candidates list. Looking at demographics, the NWU delivered a total of 25 African, Coloured and Indian (ACI) first-time passes which is an increase of 18 candidates from last year.

In addition the NWU delivered the seventh highest number of African first-time passes out of 16 universities, which is remarkable given the size of the programme compared to the big city universities.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the continued support of the CA programme. The support of management creates a conducive environment within which the programme can thrive," said Van der Merwe.